US Open 2013: Justin Rose becomes first Englishman to win in 43 years | Daily Mail Online comments Justin Rose became the first Englishman to win golf's US Open since 1970 with victory at Merion yesterday. Rose followed in the footsteps of Tony Jacklin 43 years ago by dramatically winning the championship in Pennsylvania last night. He also ended the long wait for a major winner since Sir Nick Faldo won the Masters championship in 1996. An emotional Rose paid tribute to his father as he spoke of his victory. Pure delight: Justin Rose kisses the US Open Trophy and celebrates with it (below) Joy: Justin Rose celebrates with the trophy after winning the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club Wonderful moment: Rose embraces his wife Kate after his victory at Merion was sealed Rose scored 70 in his final round to finish one over par and condemn Phil Mickelson to his sixth runners-up finish in the event on his 43rd birthday, finishing two shots behind alongside Australian Jason Day. Although he is the first Englishman to triumph since Tony Jacklin ten years before he was even born, Rose is the third European winner of the US Open in the last four years.

RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Fellow golfer Rory McIlroy was among the first to pay tribute to Rose's victory last night. Ulsterman McIlroy, who bent a club in frustration during the contest, wrote on Twitter: 'So happy for @JustinRose99! Couldn't happen to a better lad!' Impressive: Rose hits his tee shot on the fifth hole during the final round as he battled for top spot Close run thing: Phil Mickelson was around the top all day and suffered some terrible edges Golfer Graeme McDowell, also from Northern Ireland, added: 'Congratulations to @JustinRose99. Best player in the world the last few years. Major much deserved. #respect.' Rose began the day two shots off the lead held by Mickelson but soon caught him. But he was pushed all the way by his rivals in a dramatic finish. As he sunk his winning putt, an emotional Rose looked to the heavens in tribute to his father Ken who introduced him to the sport, but died of leukemia in 2002. He told reporters afterwards: 'You saw me look to the heavens with it being Father's Day - I was just trying to remember my dad.

'My coach Sean Foley sent me a text this morning which said "Go out there and be the man that your dad taught you to be and that your kids can look up to".' Strong day: Rose tees off at the ninth on a day he showed both consistency and skill Rose, who finished fourth in the Open as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998 and turned professional the next day, added: 'It feels fantastic, absolutely amazing. 'Going forward it gives me a lot of confidence. 'I don't know if it takes pressure off, but it's a moment where you can look back and think childhood dreams have come true.' His previous best finish was joint third place in last year's Open which was won by Ulsterman Rory McIlroy. The last Englishman to lift the US Open was Tony Jacklin, who won by seven shots at Hazeltine, Minnesota, in 1970. Five other Englishmen won the US Open pre-war, while a host of Scotsmen won early editions of the event. World number one Tiger Woods was well off the pace and his challenge was ended even before the final round.

Whoops: Tiger Woods had a bad day at the office as he ran double digits over par Wandering: Spectators follow Woods to see if his fortunes have changed Fist bump: Mickelson celebrates making a shot for eagle on the tenth hole with caddie Jim Mackay US Open Golf 2013 Standings: Day 4 Highlights, Winner and Twitter Reaction | Bleacher Report US Open Golf 2013 Standings: Day 4 Highlights, Winner and Twitter Reaction Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories 64.4K 5 Comments In what wound up being a dramatic four-man chase to the finish, Justin Rose won the 2013 U.S. Open by shooting an even-par 70 Sunday to finish plus-one overall, with an aggregate score of 281 over Merion Golf Club's grueling 72-hole test. It was the 32-year-old's maiden major triumph, as he beat 54-hole leader Phil Mickelson and Jason Day by two strokes.

CBS Sports' Kyle Porter captured the key moments at the conclusion of Rose's magnificent run: — Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) June 16, 2013 Many of the leaders were eaten alive by Merion, but it was Rose who was able to emerge with the victory. Holes 14 through 18 are the most brutal test, and the South Africa-born Englishman bought some insurance by birdieing Nos. 12 and 13, capping off that stretch with this wonderful putt: h/t Bleacher Report Although Rose—the world No. 5 coming into the tournament—three-putted for bogey at the par-four 16th, he made two clutch pars down the stretch, capped off by nearly holing out for birdie at the closing hole with a fairway metal from just off the putting surface: h/t Bleacher Report Golf Digest's Dan Jenkins noted how significant a feat it would have been: Eleven birdies all week at 18--none today, and zero in the third round.

— Dan Jenkins (@danjenkinsgd) June 16, 2013 Justin Ray of ESPN highlighted the historical context of Rose's win at America's national championship: Justin Rose: first Englishman to win U.S. Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970. — Justin Ray (@JRayESPNGolf) June 16, 2013 Mickelson had a characteristically roller-coaster round, with two double bogeys in the first five holes, then a hole-out for eagle from the par-four 10th fairway that put him in sole possession of first: h/t Bleacher Report Unfortunately, Lefty had to settle for a record sixth runner-up finish and a round of 74, tying Australia's Jason Day, who was sniffing the lead all day but bogeyed three of his last eight to fall out of the hunt. Golf Channel's Jason Sobel characterized the thrilling ride for Phil: Phil Mickelson had the lead, lost it, got it back, lost it again. Holed out from rough, bogeyed shortest hole. Most Mickelsonian round ever.

— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGC) June 16, 2013 ESPN's Rick Reilly alluded to Rose's singles victory over Mickelson in which he drained three clutch putts down the stretch. Sure enough, Rose did wind up playing the role of heartbreaker, but the 32-year-old Englishman was long overdue for a major championship himself, while Mickelson's already won four: Rose poured in three cab rides on 16, 17 and 18 to beat Phil Mickelson in the Ryder Cup. Now he's trying to break his heart again. #USOPen — Rick Reilly (@ReillyRick) June 16, 2013 Ardmore, Pennsylvania's historic course, was thought to be gettable with rain earlier in the tournament, and it even rained again when the leaders were on the back nine in the final round. Final group competitor Hunter Mahan failed to birdie all day long, and having entered the last round leading the field in putting, he couldn't capitalize on any looks at birdie. He missed a short bogey putt at the par-four 15th to seal his fate.

Jason Dufner triple-bogeyed the 15th hole after hitting his tee shot out of bounds, but he had six birdies and no other dropped shots in matching the round of the tournament with a three-under 67. That got Dufner into a tie for fourth in the end, along with Mahan, two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els and Billy Horschel. Twitter Reaction Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images Rose finished tied for fourth in the 1998 British Open, promptly turned pro, but then missed 28 of his first 33 cuts on the European Tour, as Dan Hicks pointed out on NBC's telecast. Through various peaks and valleys, Rose has proven himself among the elite players in recent years. Congratulations poured out shortly after his win: Congrats @JustinRose99 new @usopengolf champion! Honored to have u as our National Champ. #usopen #greatwinbetterperson — Win McMurry (@WinMcMurryGC) June 16, 2013 . @JustinRose99 is a quality individual.

He's kind, genuine, giving of his time & 1 of most charitable guys on tour #greatchampion — Kelly Tilghman (@KellyTilghmanGC) June 16, 2013 Congrats Rosie! Solid playing! @JustinRose99 — Rickie Fowler (@RickieFowlerPGA) June 16, 2013 So happy for @JustinRose99 ! Couldn't happen to a better lad! — Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) June 16, 2013 Congrats to @JustinRose99 on winning the US Open. With your solid game you were due for a big one. Enjoy and celebrate !! — Annika Sorenstam (@ANNIKA59) June 16, 2013 Congratulations to @JustinRose99 . Best player in the world the last few years. Major much deserved. #respect — Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) June 16, 2013 Couldn't be happier for @JustinRose99 . Now a US Open Champion. Way to go!

— Holly Sonders (@HollySondersGC) June 16, 2013 Congratulations to TaylorMade Tour Staff professional Justin Rose ( @JustinRose99 ) on his win at the 2013 U.S. Open! pic.twitter.com/1vSfPG0gPF — TaylorMade Golf (@TaylorMadeGolf) June 16, 2013 Now, Justin Rose finally has a major title to solidify his star status, and he couldn't have asked for a more difficult task to tackle in doing so at Merion. Justin Rose - US Open Champion: With this Win - European Tour Justin Rose - US Open Champion: With this Win Justin Rose looks to the heavens (Getty Images) Related Content SUNDAY JUNE 16, 2013 – US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP JUSTIN ROSE • First Englishman to win the US Open Championship since Tony Jacklin in 1970.

• Follows Horace Rawlins (1895), Joe Lloyd (1897), Harry Vardon (1900), George Sargent (1909), Ted Ray (1920), Jim Barnes (1921), Cyril Walker (1924) and Tony Jacklin (1970), as Englishmen to win the US Open Championship. • It’s the 46th Major Championship victory by a European Tour Member since 1979. • Becomes the seventh European Tour Member to win the US Open Championship, following Ernie Els (1994 and 1997), Retief Goosen (2001 and 2004), Michael Campbell (2005), Angel Cabrera (2007), Graeme McDowell (2010) and Rory McIlroy (2011). • Becomes 23rd different European Tour Member to win a Major Championship since 1979.

• Only the second Englishman to win a Major Championship since birth of The European Tour, following Sir Nick Faldo and first English Major winner since Faldo at the 1996 Masters Tournament. • Beats his previous best Major Championship performance of tied third in the 2012 US PGA Championship. • Claims his sixth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 228th European Tour event. Moves to the top of The Race to Dubai with €,557,900. • Moves to third in the Official World Golf Ranking, from fifth. • First Major Championship victory in his 37th Major Championship appearance. • Comes in his eighth appearance in the US Open Championship. • Beats his previous best performance in the US Open Championship of tied fifth, on his debut in 2003. OTHER FACTS • First European Tour victory since the 2012 WGC – Cadillac Championship. • Fifth consecutive season that the winner of the US Open Championship has made this Major their first Major triumph. Follows: Lucas Glover (2009), Graeme McDowell (2010), Rory McIlroy (2011) and Webb Simpson (2012).

• Records the 279th English victory in European Tour history. • Second Englishman to win on The European Tour in 2013, following Chris Wood (Commercial Bank Qatar Masters). • His 13th victory worldwide as a professional. • Moves over €13 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings. • Extends his European Tour exemption until the end of 2020. • Gains a ten year exemption into the US Open Championship and five years into the Masters Tournament, Open Championship and US PGA Championship. • Gains a place into the 2013 PGA Grand Slam of Golf, 2013 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational, 2013 WGC – HSBC Champions and 2014 Volvo Golf Champions. • Becomes the 12th European Tour victory by former Challenge Tour players on the 2013 European Tour.

They are: Scott Jamieson (Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa), Louis Oosthuizen (Volvo Golf Champions), Jamie Donaldson (Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship), Stephen Gallacher (Omega Dubai Desert Classic), Richard Sterne (Joburg Open), Marcel Siem (Trophée Hassan II), Raphaël Jacquelin (Open de España), Brett Rumford (Ballantine’s Championship and Volvo China Open), Joost Luiten (Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity) , Simon Thornton (Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open presented by Neuflize OBC) and Justin Rose (US Open Championship). • Records the 319th European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player. • The fifth former Challenge Tour player to win a Major Championship. He would follow: Michael Campbell (2005 US Open Championship), Trevor Immelman (2008 Masters Tournament), Louis Oosthuizen (2010 Open Championship) and Martin Kaymer (2010 US PGA Championship). Justin Rose wins U.S.

Open, becomes first English winner since Tony Jacklin in 1970 Series: PGA Tour Published: Sunday, June 16, 2013 | 8:09 p.m. ARDMORE, Pa. -- A steady hand gave Justin Rose the shiny U.S. Open Trophy. A wild ride gave Phil Mickelson yet another silver medal. Rose captured his first major championship on Sunday with remarkable calm and three pure shots on the punishing closing holes at Merion. A par on the 18th hole gave him an even-par 70, and that was good enough to become the first Englishman in 43 years to win America's national championship. 2013 U.S. OPEN For complete coverage of the U.S. Open, click here. Rose hit 5-iron to the first cut of rough, pin-high on the 17th for an easy par. He smashed the most important tee shot of his career down the middle on the final hole, about 15 feet short of the famous Ben Hogan plaque. And his 4-iron rolled near the pin and settled against the collar of the green.

"When I came over the hill and saw my ball laying in the fairway, I thought, `This is my moment.' It was me hitting from the middle of the fairway," Rose said. As usual, someone's big moment in the U.S. Open came at Mickelson's expense. Rose was in the scoring area a half-mile from the grandstands behind the 18th green where the fans began to chant, "Let's go Phil!" as Mickelson paced off a last-ditch effort to force a playoff. It was a long shot -- the 18th hole didn't yield a single birdie all weekend. From about 40 yards away, Mickelson's chip for birdie raced by the cup, securing Rose's victory. Mickelson, already in the U.S. Open record book with five second-place finishes, added another that will hurt as much any of them. Sunday was his 43rd birthday. It was the first time he was equipped with the outright lead going into the last day. His week began with a cross-country trip home to San Diego to watch his oldest daughter graduate from the eighth grade, returning just three hours before his tee time on Thursday.

This was the same daughter born the day after his first runner-up finish in 1999. All the stars were aligned. None of the putts fell in. Mickelson surged back into the lead by holing out from 75 yards in thick rough on the 10th hole for eagle, another moment that made it seem like surely was his time. The cheer could be heard across the road, through the trees, loud enough that Rose knew exactly what had happened. But on the easiest hole at Merion, Mickelson drilled a wedge over the green on the par-3 13th and made bogey. What hurt Mickelson even more was a wedge from about 121 yards on the 15th hole. It should have given him a good look at birdie, but it came up so short that Mickelson's best chance was to use one of his five wedges to chip from the front of the green. He hit that one too far, 25 feet by the hole, and the bogey wound up costing him a chance at the major he covets.

Mickelson wound up with a bogey on the 18th for a 74 and tied for second with Jason Day, who closed with a 71. "Heartbreak," Mickelson said. "This is tough to swallow after coming so close. This was my best chance of all of them. I had a golf course I really liked. I felt this was as good an opportunity as you could ask for. It really hurts." Day appeared to salvage his round by chipping in for bogey on the 11th hole, and he was still in the picture when he made a 12-foot par putt on the 17th to stay one shot behind. But he put his approach into the bunker left of the 18th green, blasted out to about 7 feet and missed the putt. The back nine was a four-way battle that included Hunter Mahan, who played in the last group with Mickelson. He was one shot out of the lead until he three-putted the 15th hole for a double bogey, and then closed with back-to-back bogeys when his hopes were gone.

Mahan had a 75 and tied for fourth with Billy Horschel (74), Ernie Els (69) and Jason Dufner, who had a 67 despite making triple bogey on the 15th hole. Rose finished at 1-over 281, eight shots higher than David Graham's winning score in 1981 when the U.S. Open was last held at Merion. The shortest course for a major championship in nearly a decade held up just fine. It was the third time in the last four years that no one broke par in the toughest test of golf. The last Englishman to win the U.S. Open was Tony Jacklin at Hazeltine in 1970, though Rose added to recent dominance of the Union Jack at the U.S. Open as the third winner in four years. The others were Graeme McDowell (2010) and Rory McIlroy (2011) of Northern Ireland. Walking off the 18th green, he looked through the patchy clouds and point to the sky, a nod to his late father, Ken, who died of leukemia in September 2002.

"I couldn't help but look up at the heavens and think my old man Ken had something to do with it," Rose said. It seems like more than 15 years ago when Rose first starred on the major scene as a 17-year-old amateur who chipped in on the final hole at Royal Birkdale in the 1998 British Open and tied for fourth. He turned pro the next week, and then missed the cut in his first 21 tournaments. But he stayed the course and slowly picked off big tournaments -- including the AT&T National in 2010 just down the road at Aronimink. The U.S. Open takes him to another level and moves him to No. 3 in the world. "Just for the last few years has been known as one of the best ball-strikers in the game. He showed that today," said Luke Donald, who played alongside him. "To win a U.S. Open, you have to have the ultimate control of your golf ball. He did that. He hit some really clutch iron shots down the stretch." Tiger Woods turned out to be nothing more than an afterthought.

He hit out-of-bounds on his second hole and made triple bogey, and closed with a 74 to finish at 13-over 293, his worst score as a pro in the U.S. Open, and matching his worst score in any major. The score wasn't nearly that bad considering the golf course, with its tricky contours on the greens and punishing rough. Mickelson wore all black when he arrived for the final round, and in a brief TV interview he said, "The best for me is to play well and have fun." Sunday at the U.S. Open is rarely fun. Just ask Donald, who was only two shots behind starting the final round. It all crumbled when he pulled his tee shot on the par-3 third hole -- so long and hard that Donald hit a driver -- and struck a standard-bearer. She was on the ground for several minutes, and Donald appeared visibly shook. He made bogey, and then followed that with two bogeys and a double bogey. He shot 42 on the back nine. Steve Stricker took his lumps on one hole, and it was ugly.

One shot behind, he pushed his tee shot on the par-5 second hole out-of-bounds. After hitting the next tee shot into the fairway, he tried to lay up with a 4-iron and hit a shank out-of-bounds. Stricker had to make a 7-foot putt to escape with a triple-bogey 8. Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, trying to give South Africa a major for the fourth straight year, opened with a birdie and a tie for the lead. That became a distant memory, however, when he dropped seven shots over the seven holes and closed out his front nine with a 42. Horschel wore pants with octopus prints, and he putted like he had eight arms. Out in 39, he opened the back nine with a pair of three-putts. For a short time, it looked as though Mickelson might join this parade of pretenders when he three-putted for double bogey twice in three holes on the front nine. And then came his shot out of the rough on the 10th, and he was on his way -- but not for long.

Rose made his share of mistakes, too, like the three-putt bogey on the 11th and a horrible shot out of the bunker on the 14th. The difference was his approach into the 12th to 3 feet, followed by a 20-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole. With Mickelson watching so many putts graze the lip, that cushion was all that Rose needed. Justin Rose first Englishman since Jacklin to win US Open | The Week UK Justin Rose first Englishman since Jacklin to win US Open Jun 17, 2013 email Getty Images JUSTIN ROSE became the first Englishman for 43 years to win the US Open, and he dedicated his victory to his late father. The 32-year-old lost his dad, Ken, to leukaemia in 2002, and after being presented with the trophy on the 18th green at the Merion course, Rose said: "It wasn't lost on me that today was Father's Day...

a lot of us come from great men and we have a responsibility to our children to show what a great man can be." A great performance it was from Rose, the first Englishman to win a Major since Nick Faldo clinched the Masters in 1996. There was misery for Phil Mickelson, however, on the day he turned 43. The American needed to birdie the last hole to force an 18-hole play-off today, but he could only shoot a bogey five, and so for the sixth time he finished runner-up in the US Open. "For me, it's very heart-breaking," said Mickelson, who had finished second in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2009. "This was my best chance on a golf course I really liked. I felt like this was as good an opportunity as you could ask for and to not do it hurts." Mickelson began the final day at the unforgiving Merion course two shots ahead of Rose and compatriot Luke Donald.

For Rose the third day had been cruel, the young Englishman finishing with a bogey-bogey and confessing that he felt "a bit hard done by". Mickelson in contrast carded 70 for his third round and finished the day declaring: "It was a lot of fun out there and I just can't wait to get back out there and play the final round." But it was Rose, ranked fifth in the world, who enjoyed the final round at Merion, firing a level par 70 while Mickelson could only shoot a 74. Donald had a nightmare final round, including three straight bogeys from the third and then a double bogey on the sixth. Australia's Jason Day finished on 71 to tie for second with Mickelson. Rose's first Major has been a long time coming. It was back in 1998, at the Open at Royal Birkdale, that he announced himself to the golf world when as a 17-year-old amateur he finished in a tie for fourth. The professional years that followed, however, were tough for the South African-born Rose and he missed 21 consecutive cuts.

He finally won his first event as a pro in 2002 but it was another ten years before he began to fulfil the potential he'd shown at Birkdale. In March 2012 he won his first World Golf Championship event – the Cadillac in Florida – and the same year his posted his best finish in a Major when he tied for third in the US PGA behind Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy. McIlroy won the US Open in 2011, a year after compatriot Graeme McDowell's victory in the tournament, so Rose's success at the Merion continues the UK's remarkable winning streak in recent years. Though Rose became the first Englishman to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970, the overriding thought as he holed his final putt was of his father. Rose glanced skywards as he fished the ball from the hole, and he admitted later: "The look up to the heavens was absolutely for my dad.

My dad was the inspiration the whole day." Sign up for our daily newsletter Newsletter Tony Jacklin CBE Ecstatic with Justin Rose US Open Victory | Champions of Golf Tony Jacklin CBE Ecstatic with Justin Rose US Open Victory Justin Rose US Open Victory Monday, June 17, 2013 Last night saw Justin Rose become the first Englishman, since Tony Jacklin, to win the US Open. Back in 1970 Tony, who is part of the Champions of Golf stable, became the first Englishman for forty years to win the title when he triumphed at Hazeltine, a year after winning The Open Championship at Royal Lytham St Annes. As the lead kept swapping between various players throughout the day it was Rose who kept his calm, playing with his friend Luke Donald to take home the prestigious title. The Englishman, who first came to prominence as a youngster finishing fourth at the Open Championship in 1998, had an anxious wait as Phil Mickelson still had an opportunity to win the title, eventually falling short and finishing two shots behind Rose.

Rose also becomes the first Englishman to win a major since Nick Faldo in 1996 and Tony, who joined the Champions of Golf stable in January, says that it is a step in the right direction for European golf, “Justin’s win is just what European golf and, in particular, English golf needs. For many years we have had some fantastic players in contention at the majors but unfortunately they haven’t been able to make it over the line. Justin has shown that it can be done and this will hopefully be a catalyst for other players from England and Europe to go on and win major honours. My congratulations go to Justin for a fine performance on what was an extremely tough course. He was so professional in his approach across the weekend and he fully deserved the victory, I wish him the best for the rest of the year and hopefully he can add to what is a marvelous accomplishment.” Champions of Golf also manage European Tour professionals Scott Jamieson, Marc Warren, Graeme Storm, Matthew Southgate and European Senior Tour winner Gary Wolstenholme MBE. Everyone at Champions of Golf shares Tony Jacklin’s congratulations for Justin and wish him the very best for his future competitions.

For more information about Champions of Golf, please contact Lloyd Bailey at Champions (UK) plc on 08453 31 30 31 or email lbailey@championsukplc.com Latest News US Open: Patience key at Oakmont, says 2013 champion Justin Rose - BBC Sport US Open: Patience key at Oakmont, says 2013 champion Justin Rose 12 Jun From the section Golf Justin Rose was the first Englishman to win the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970 US Open Venue: Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania Dates: 16-19 June Coverage: Listen live on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra from Friday and follow live text on the BBC Sport website from Thursday. England's Justin Rose says patience will be crucial if he is to win a second US Open title next week. Rose had dropped four shots by the 11th hole on the first day at Merion in 2013, but went on to win his only major by two strokes at one over par.

The winning score is again expected to be around level par or worse this year at Oakmont, a 7,254-yard, par-70 course, hosting its ninth US Open. "A US Open can often be last man standing," said 35-year-old Rose. "Guys are going to make mistakes, you are going to have your stretch where you feel like you're slipping out of contention. "But you have to realise everyone is going to face that at some point through 72 holes, so just stick with it - grind it out." US Open: Groupings and tee-off times Angel Cabrera's winning total was five over par when Oakmont last staged the championship in 2007, Rose finishing in a tie for 10th on 11 over after a disappointing 76 in the final round. "I remember it being a classic old course, incredibly difficult, bunkers being amazingly deep," added Rose, who finished 12 shots off winner Martin Kaymer in 2014 and 10 behind Jordan Spieth in 2015. "I feel like it's a course that could suit me.

I feel like most US Open courses suit the way I try to go about things and all eyes are on that prize right now." A back injury forced South Africa-born Rose to miss the recent PGA Championship and Memorial Tournament, but he has since been practising at Oakmont. "I just have to be very diligent with my rehab at the moment," he added. "I haven't hit top gear just yet this year, so to speak, but I am playing really well, very consistently and just looking for that extra something to get me into the winner's circle and have a great run." Find out more Justin Rose wins US Open 2013 at Merion | Golf.com Posted: Mon Jun. 17, 2013 Updated: Mon Dec. 1, 2014 Install App ARDMORE, Pa. -- There was never any doubt that history would be made when the decision was made to bring the 113th United States Open back to Merion Golf Club for the first time in 32 years. We just didn't know exactly what kind of history. There was Justin Rose, the first Englishman to win the U.S.

Open in 43 years since Tony Jacklin did it in 1970. There was Phil Mickelson, trying to avoid the fate of Sam Snead, who never won an Open. Mickelson made a different kind of history with another heartbreaking finish, collecting his sixth runner-up in the U.S. Open. He already owned the record at five, and this one may have put it out of reach. And there was Merion itself. There was concern that pre-tournament rain would soften the old course and leave it vulnerable. Instead, it stamped its identity in Open lore as one of the most challenging, difficult and intimidating major championship venues in modern times. No one finished under par for 72 holes. Rose closed with an even-par 70 for a 281 total, one over par. Australia's Jason Day and Mickelson shared second at three over par. "I don't think anybody expected this golf course to hold up the way it did," said Rose, 32, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour. "It surprised everybody. I'm just glad I was the last man standing. "This golf club is steeped in history and that really hit home when I came here last week," Rose added.

"I was able to appreciate the course in the quiet moments when nobody was around and that's when I fell in love with the course ... It's just been a perfect week, start to finish." It was a wild final round that saw flashes of brilliance and just the opposite. Which meant early exits from the realm of contention. Luke Donald of England, a former No. 1 in the world, flamed out with a front-nine 42. Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel birdied the opening hole, then racked up five bogeys and a double bogey, also shot 42 on the front nine and plummeted out of contention. Steve Stricker, the 46-year-old Wisconsin native trying to win his first major championship, blocked a tee shot out of bounds on the second hole, then shanked an iron shot out of bounds from the middle of the fairway and made a triple bogey. "I was shellshocked after that," Stricker said. So much for three big contenders. Jason Dufner went on a birdie binge and was five under par for his round until the 15th hole, where he hooked a tee shot out of bounds, made a triple bogey and fell back.

He shot 67, the low round of the day, even with the triple, a score that was matched by Japan's Hideki Matsuyama. Dufner tied for fourth with British Open champion Ernie Els. Hunter Mahan, who began the final round tied for the lead with Mickelson, held on until the end, collapsing with a double bogey at the 15th and bogeys at 17 and 18. Until Rose came on strong on the back nine, though, the spotlight was squarely on Mickelson. He played classic Phil the Thrill golf, a mix of great shots and awful shots. He's had so many tough close calls at the Open -- Winged Foot, Pinehurst, Shinnecock Hills and Bethpage Black. Add Merion to the list and it might just go to the head of class. Mickelson led or shared the lead in each of the first three rounds. Sunday, once again, he let it get away. It was Phil being Phil. "It's very heartbreaking," admitted Mickelson, 43. "This could have been a really big turnaround for me on how I look at the U.S.

Open and the tournament that I'd like to win, after having so many good opportunities. Playing very well here and really loving the golf course, this week was my best opportunity, I felt." Historians can debate later exactly where Mickelson let this one slip. There were a lot of places. Let's start with the third hole, where he plowed his tee shot into a back bunker, blasted out and three-putted on a dangerously slick green for double bogey. He birdied the fourth, narrowly missing an eagle putt, then three-putted for another double bogey at the fifth, which was his nemesis hole for the week. In fact, the fifth, a monster par 4 with a garishly tilted green, was the nemesis hole for the entire field. Not carrying a driver in his big, Mickelson said, hurt him at the fifth because it was into the wind. He didn't hit the fairway in four tries. "I should have made bogeys on 3 and 5 and I let them become doubles," Mickelson said.

"And those were costly doubles." Just when it appeared Mickelson was on the verge of fading, he holed a shot from the rough for an unlikely eagle 2 on the short par-4 10th hole. That 75-yard shot would've been the signature moment of this Open, maybe the signature shot of his career, if only he'd gone on to win this thing. It landed softly on the green, rolled out and when the crowd reacted, Mickelson raised his arms above his head and jumped for joy. "I got lucky and that got me back into it," Mickelson said. The problem was, Rose was churning out birdies and Mahan, until the end, was playing steady golf. And Mickelson ended up beating himself with a couple of key mistakes. The 13th hole was the tiny par 3 of barely 100 yards. It had just started to rain when Mickelson arrived there and he hit a lower-flighted, odd-looking shot. He hit a low pitching wedge when, Mickelson said, he used too much club and should've gone to a gap wedge.

From over the green in deep grass, he played one of his famous flop shots but it carried way too far and he two-putted for bogey. At 15, he did use his gap wedge and left it short. That led to another costly bogey. "The two bad shots of the day that I'll look back on were 13 and 15, that's where I let it go," Mickelson said. "Those were the two costly shots." By the finish, Mickelson knew he needed one more birdie. He had a lengthy birdie putt at the 17th but left his slick putt just a little short. When Rose played the 18th very solidly and made par, Mickelson needed a birdie to tie to force a playoff. He drove it into the rough, played to just short of the green in two and hit a stunning pitch shot that didn't miss hitting the cup by much after caddie Jim (Bones) McKay pulled the pin. The chip ran past the cup and Mickelson missed the par putt, which dropped him into a tie for second with Day. Rose, watching on a TV in a screening room, began to celebrate his victory.

That turned out to be quite a par he made at the 18th. He split the fairway and then put a swing every bit as pretty as the one Ben Hogan famously used to reach the green with a 1-iron in 1950 and deposited his ball on the green for the par he needed. Merion probably won't put a plaque in the fairway for Rose, as it did for Hogan, but he's got plenty of other compensation for his finish. "What a piece of silverware to be sitting to my right," Rose said at his press conference, admiring his new trophy. "It's just an incredible experience and a childhood dream come true. I've been striving my whole life to win a major. I've holed a putt to win a major championship hundreds of thousands of times on the putting green at home. Preparing for this tournament, I dreamt about the moment of having a putt to win. I'm pretty happy it was a two-incher on the last." The Open was a good affirmation for swing coach Sean Foley, who also works with Mahan and another fellow called Tiger Woods. Rose and Foley have been working together for four years.

"I feel like my game has gotten better and better every year," Rose said. "I've got to give a lot of credit to Sean." Foley sent Rose an inspirational text message before Sunday's final round. "He said something along the lines of, Just go out there and be the man that your dad taught you to be and be the man that your kids can look up to," Rose said. "Really, that was my goal today. Great men have come before us. A lot of us have that situation with their fathers." The scene this Open will be remembered for was the moment after Rose holed out. He leaned back and looked up toward the heavens, paying homage to his father, who passed away when Rose was only 21. "I didn't want to be premature with any celebration out of respect to Phil," Rose said. "He's a world-class player who can pull a rabbit out of the hat at any point. I just felt good that I had done enough, to walk away with my head held high and that's why I was emotional. I didn't want to be hugging and high-fiving and all that until it was official." The win vaults Rose to another level among the world's elite golfers.

Like new Masters champion Adam Scott, expectations for him will be raised. He was already ranked among the top 10 in the world. Now, perhaps, he is ready to make a run at the top. Or close to it. "Justin has been one of the best ballstrikers in the game the last few years," said Donald, a fellow Englishman who played the final round with Rose. "He showed that today. To win a U.S. Open, you have to have ultimate control of your ball. He did that. He hit some really clutch iron shots down the stretch. And at 17 and 18, he hit the shots that he wanted to hit. This was a great week for Justin and for England." It was a great week for Merion, too. In fact, it's already history. More From the Web US Open Championship: No one smells sweeter than Justin Rose (+video) - CSMonitor.com US Open Championship: No one smells sweeter than Justin Rose (+video) Latest News Justin Rose captured his first major tournament by winning the US Open. Rose became the first Englishman to win a major since Nick Faldo won the 1996 Masters.

By Doug Ferguson, Associated Press June 17, 2013 Justin Rose, of England, poses with the trophy after winning the US Open golf tournament at Merion Golf Club, Sunday, June 16, 2013, in Ardmore, Pa. Darron Cummings/AP View Caption of Ardmore, Pa. — The most recent golden era of golf in England had everything but the one prize that brings credibility. A major championship. Lee Westwood and Luke Donald reached No. 1 in the world. Ian Poulter turned into a rock star in the Ryder Cup . There was a strong supporting cast that included Paul Casey. Always lurking, and finally delivering, was Justin Rose . Recommended: Golf fans, what do you know about the US Open? The only player at Merion who never had worse than a 71 over four demanding days, Rose passed his biggest test Sunday when he split the middle of the 18th fairway with his tee shot and hit a 4-iron that set him up for a par on the toughest hole to win the US Open . Video US Open final round highlights The question no longer is why the English can't win a major. It's who might be next.

"I really hope it does inspire them," Rose said after his two-shot win over Phil Mickelson and Jason Day. "I think it was always going to be a matter of time before one of us broke through. It was just going to be who. And I always hoped it was going to be me to be the first, obviously. But I really hoped that it has broken the spell, and guys can continue to match up some for themselves." Westwood for the last five years gave England its best hope. A 15-foot birdie putt was all that kept him out of a playoff in the 2008 US Open won by Tiger Woods. He missed another playoff at Turnberry in the 2009 British Open when he three-putted for bogey from long range on the 72nd hole. He had a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Masters in 2010, but couldn't hold off Mickelson. Donald became the first player to win the money title on the PGA Tour and European Tour in the same season, and he stayed at No. 1 for 56 weeks. That gave him the distinction of being No. 1 going into the most majors — seven — without ever having won.

Poulter was runner-up in the British Open at Royal Birkdale in 2008, though his best play was when he wore Europe 's colors in the Ryder Cup. And then there was Rose. His win at Merion made him the first Englishman since Tony Jacklin in 1970 at Hazeltine to win America's national championship. And he became the first from England to win any major in 17 years, dating to Nick Faldo's six-shot rally to beat Greg Norman in the 1996 Masters for his third green jacket. "Tony Jacklin was a pioneer," Rose said, referring to the two-time major champion. "Golf has become a lot more global. There are more international players over here, so to see us players come through and win championships ... Jacklin did it maybe when it was out of the norm. And we certainly grew up dreaming about emulating him." England, a proud golfing nation, was in danger of being morphed into a much broader group. It was part of Europe, which got three majors from Padraig Harrington of Ireland and one from Martin Kaymer of Germany.

The Union Jack has been carried in recent years by Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke. The last British player to win a major was Paul Lawrie at Carnoustie in the 1999 British Open. England has its own niche in history, and the timing of Rose's win was symbolic. This is the 100-year anniversary of Francis Ouimet putting American golf on the front of the sports pages when he took down English heavyweights Harry Vardon and Ted Ray at The Country Club. Vardon won seven majors, same as Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer. Also part of that great triumvirate was J.H. Taylor, whose five majors includes one footnote — the only man in major championship history to have the lowest score in all four rounds. Now, the Cross of St. George can fly proudly. "Congrats finally an Englishman wins a major," Poulter tweeted late Sunday evening. That the lot fell to Rose should not have been a surprise. A year ago, he led the PGA Tour in greens hit in regulation. Going into the U.S. Open, he was tops in total driving, which combines the ranking of driving distance and driving accuracy.

At some point, it began to dawn on the 32-year-old Rose that this major might be the one he was most likely to win. "I felt like this tournament really began to be on my radar as possibly the one major championship that would suit me the most," Rose said. "I had always felt good at Augusta, always dreamed about winning The Open Championship. But I thought this one actually might have been my best chance. I really targeted Merion. ... So I just love it when a plan comes together." The rest of his career took time for everything to fall into place. Rose famously holed a long pitch shot on the final hole at Royal Birkdale in the 1998 British Open when he was 17, and he turned pro the next week. Instead of blazing a trail, he never flamed out by missing 21 consecutive cuts. He never lost hope, however, and eventually matured into the complete golfer everyone thought he might be. Rose won on two strong courses, Muirfield Village and Aronimink. He captured a FedEx Cup playoff event on the PGA Tour. He won his first World Golf Championship last year at Doral. And now this.

"He's got loads of talent, a great game, a great work ethic," Hunter Mahan said. "He's just one of those guys that had to keep plugging along, and keep trusting himself more than anything else — just trust his abilities, because his abilities are really second to none." Rose should have had a notion he could handle the big stage. It was just under nine months ago when he was headed to a crucial loss — against Mickelson, of all people — in the Ryder Cup at Medinah last year. Rose holed a 12-foot par putt on the 16th, a 35-foot birdie putt on the 17th and a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 1-up victory, the key to Europe's remarkable rally. That was a team win for Europe. This was for England. "It's been too long, really," Donald said. "I think we've had a lot of talent come out of England, and hopefully we've broken our bad period. This will be a great win for Justin, and for England." Rose ended his night by tweeting a photo of the shiny U.S.

Open trophy as the centerpiece of a dining table, champagne glasses ready to be filled. Cheers. Get the Monitor stories you care about delivered to your inbox. Daily

Question: In 2013 who became the first Englishman since Tony Jacklin in 1970, to win The US Open Golf Championship?
Answer: Justin Rose